Ridge-leveling machine



Feb. 11, 1930. .J. S CHERMULY 1,746,872

RIDGE LEVELING MACHINE Filed Oct. 1, 1925 5 3 5 a 2 5 h; '15 \I E IIV/,1) 6

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Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES JOSEPH SCHERMULY, OF WICHITA,KANSAS RIDGE-LEVELING MACHINE Application filed October 1, 1926. SerialNo. 138,904.

My invention relates to a ridge leveling machine functioning as an earthleveling device in the interest of agriculture.

The object of my invention is to provide a 5 machine that isinexpensive, simple to oper ate, and effective in its efficiency byreason of leveling a number of ridges at the same time.

A further object of my invention is to pro- 1 vide wheels carrying themachine that will automatically position the ridge working elementsproperly to replace the earth in the adjacent trenches made when theridges were formed.

A still further object of my invention is to divide the earth workingelements by placing one end of them on opposite sides of the aXis of thewheel bearing mechanism.

A still further object of my invention is to .20 provide adjusting meansfor the earth working elements independent of each other, that is tosay, the elements in front of the wheel axis are adjustable independentof the elements at the rear of said axis, and the adjust- 25 ment is forthe depth desired for the cutting of the earth working elements.-

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully explained.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view. 7

Fig. i is an enlarged detailed View of the wheel carrying means, andlever shifting mechanism, the view being in section taken along lineIV-IV in Fig. 3.

The machine herein disclosed consists of a frame 1 having a bifurcatedhitching means 2 rigidly attached to the front member of the frame bywhich means the machine is conveyed by a tractor or other motive power,it being understood that the bifurcated hitching means is so arrangedthat the ends of the bifurcations are distributed longitudinally of theframe to avoid excess springing at any point. The said frame is carriedby a pair of wheels 3 at each end thereof. Pivotally attached to therear and front sides of the frame in suitable bearings a are bars 5, the50 said bars being square are carrying means for arms 6, the said armsbeing adjustable longitudinally thereon. On the outer ends thereof are apair of discs 7 rotatably carried on a shaft 8, the said shaft being setat an angle so that the discs will throw the earth in the desireddirection removing the earth from the ridge into their respectivetrenches. Note that the discs at the rear of the frame, and the discs onthe front side thereof angle in opposite directions, the object of whichis to throw the earth in the opposite direction from the ridges into thetrenches.

As an adjusting means for the depth desired for the discs entering theearth, I have provided levers 9 for the front discs and 9 u for those inthe rear, the said levers being pivotally connected along thelongitudinal axis of the frame as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. On the discbars are placed cranks 10 which are rigidly attached thereto. The outerends of the cranks and the lower ends of their respective levers arejoined by a connecting rod 11 as a medium for rotating the bars whenactuated by the levers. When positioned for the desired depth requiredfor the discs the lever pawls 12 will engage in the notches of a sector13 which is rigidly attached to the cross members of the frame as shownin Figs. 3 and 4. The separate adjustment for the front and the reardiscs is so occasioned by a possible horizontal incline of the framewhen the hitching means is attached to tractors, or other means ofconveyance.

In Fig. 3 is shown lines A, B, C, D, and E equally positioned in frontof the plan View. The said lines represent approximately the center ofthe ridges that the discs in alignment rearward therewith are leveling.The wheels 3 being the carrying elements for the machine are sopositioned that they will engage or travel in the trench between theridges, and the weight imposed thereon restricts them to the bottom ofthe trench rather than to allow them to climb or travel along the sideof the ridge. It is now apparent that the wheels function as a guidingmeans for the proper engagement of the discs along the top of theridges.

A machine thus made and operated in fields that have been worked by thelisting machines, or fields that by cultivation have formed ridges, theregularity of such ridges may be leveled easily by the machine hereindisclosed working five ridges at a time, but I do not confine themechanism to work exactly this number as the length may be variedworking two or more ridges.

To properly level the earth, the disc carrying means slidably engage ontheir respective bar so that the area of the ridge will be entirelyworked as the machine passes longitudinally therewith.

In the event of solidly compact earth, by reason of time,non-cultivation, or otherwise, additional weight may be required toforce the discs to the proper depth. In such case have provided a plank1 which is carried by brackets 15 rigidly attached to the rear side ofthe frame. By placing weights on the said plank the said discs will bemade to work the earth at a greater depth. The hitching means beingrigid to the frame and firmly attached to a suitable conveying means,the front discs are simultaneously with the rear discs forced into theearth.

Such modifications may be employed as lie within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is I. In a ridge leveling machine, a machine ofthe class described having a rectangular frame and a pair of wheelstrunnioned adjacent each end of the frame, the frame having rockablymounted thereon a plurality of ground working elements at the front andrear sides of the frame, the length of the frame being sufficient forthe ground leveling elements to properly contact five ridges, levelingthe same, two pairs of ground working elements positioned at the rear oftheir re spective wheels and operated by a single lever for raising andlowering the same, and two pairs of ground working elements forwardlypositioned to their respective wheels and a single lever to raise andlower the same independent of the said first ground working elements,other similar ground working elements in single pairs intermediatelycarried by the frame, and a lever to operate each pair independentlyofthe others, all of said ground working elements in parallelism to eachother and relative to the sides of the frame.

2. In a ridge leveling machine, a mechanism of the kind describedconsisting of a rectangular frame of considerable length, a pair ofwheels as carrying means for each end of the frame and positioned inclose proximity thereto, a bifurcated hitching means arranged so thatthe ends of the bifurcations are distributed longitudinally of the frameand rigidly connected thereto to prevent springing and vertical rockingof the frame sides, a plurality of ground working elements carried bythe front and rear sides of the frame and in parallelism therewith, andmeans to raise and lower said elements with relation to the frame, aplank and brackets attaching the plank to the rear side of the frame,the plank functioning as a weight carrying means to cause deepengagement of the ground working elements when said elements have beenlowered.

JOSEPH SCHERMULY.

